Visualize this. You had a long day. You sink into the couch to catch your favorite web series at night and you are looking forward to relaxing. And then about 15 -20 minutes later, the little demons called late-night cravings show up. They seem to have little voices that have a way of coaxing you to reach out to anything unhealthy in sight! You want to give in. Your entire day’s effort of sticking to healthy low-calorie food seems under threat now!
Set this alarm bell in your mind- Late-night snacking increases your risk of snacking on more than you need, which can lead to weight gain. More so when you are mindlessly bingeing on TV!
So what do you do instead? Figure out how best you can appease these late-night hunger pangs with healthy snack ideas. Read on now.
10 low-calorie snack ideas to handle those uncontrollable hunger urges at night!
- In-shell pistachios- Get and stock up on shelled plain pistachios, which you can grab at night and slowly deshell them and consume one by one. Pistachios are rich in unsaturated fatty acids and potassium and packed with fiber and minerals.
- Dark chocolates-Your palate demands sweet? Well, handle it with a little bitterness too. Store some chunks of dark chocolate and eat them. Dark chocolate is rich in disease-fighting antioxidants.
- Air-popped popcorn – Easy-peasy bags of corn kernels that are available at any supermarket. Buy the ones that can directly be microwaved.
- Cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and bite-sized vegetables are easy indulgences and almost next to nothing in calories.
- Greek yogurt with fruit is a dessert to die for! Refrain from buying from the store and try to make your rich creamy yogurt at home.
- Banana with peanut butter- This super versatile combination can be had in the mornings or smaller portions as dessert at night. Whip up a small portion of both, freeze for a bit and dig in!
- Kiwis are a super special fruit rich in vitamin C and support digestive and heart health. A standalone nutritional powerhouse indeed.
- Almonds- The good old snack, a fist full of them can last a long while any day.
- Baked sweet potato fries – A non-greasy healthy snack that is as filling as a meal itself.
- Roasted chickpeas and peanuts- Nothing too dramatic, effortless, and available at home anytime. Roast a substantial quantity, mildly spice them, and store. Rich in protein as well as folate, magnesium, and iron.
It is easy to trick and indulge in what your body unreasonably demands at night time and in a healthy manner! While it is most ideal to stop eating anything at all after 8 pm there are some days when you do feel like munching. If you are prepared and ready with the list above, there is no more guilt you have to deal with the morning after!
